Hello everyone!

Greetings! from what looks to be a very white Christmas here in northern Montana. We are all thrilled and excited while we live out the next few days enjoying the Holiday season. Though the roads can be very treacherous this time of year, you cannot help but pause and take in how beautiful it is.  As I drove the long two hours home to be with my family for Christmas I had a lot of time to think.  I sang, took in the scenery, prayed, cried, thought about the “being fat and lazy”, laughed to myself at the thought of my actually being fat and lazy, laughed at Dad cause… well, he’s just that way…..Dana too.  Ok, but in seriousness I believe all of that came to me from this past month’s blessings and trials I’ve had in my life.  During that drive home the Lord made things clear.   I thank God that it was not all what I had done wrong, but also the people, the blessings, my job, my close friends, and now more than ever the Accounted For family. One of my most common prayers have been “Lord, keep my mind simple, show me the simple things that matter most.  Don’t let me loose sight of what I need the most”.

I never could put my finger on it but for the past two months two songs kept replaying and replaying in my mind.  Now I believe all of us Christians have our “dumb” moments when we just don’t get what God is giving to us or why.  But when it hits, it hits with both barrels.  “The Little Drummer Boy” is a song we all know.  Now I don’t know much about this song’s background, and from what I’ve read I would assume it’s a fairly new song considering how old some Christmas carols are, being written in the 1940’s.  But for these past few months I’ve soaked in every ounce of those lyrics, listening intently to what I believe is the most simple song when you just listen.  The song says (forgive me I’ll edit the pa rum pum pum pum’s) “I am a poor boy too, I have no gift to bring, that’s fit to give our King”. Countless times I have walked on stage and that old flesh kicks in making me feel that exact same way.  What can I do?  I’m not the most talented in the world, I’m nothing great or grand, I’m not worthy enough to stand in front of people and sing praises to Him.  Like one of my favorite quotes that comes from the movie “Amazing Grace”.  “I am a great sinner…….” But that final verse, when I’m feeling down, that final verse says it all! It says, “I played my drum for Him, I played my best for Him……Then, He smiled at me”  That little boy had nothing “worldly” acceptable to give this newborn King.  But he gave all he had, a simple gift and I’m reminded that that is what I, yeah all of us need to remember.  He’ll take what we have, even if it’s small and simple, if we just give Him our best.  When we falter, remember the last half of that quote ” ……..but Christ is a great Saviour”

I know the Holiday season can be the most joyful time of the year for people, or unfortunately the worst.  But whatever the case may be with you, from the bottom of our hearts, we love you and could not do what we do without you.  That third verse of the second song has blessed me because I think it just puts the perfect ending for those who have called on Jesus Christ to be their personal Saviour.  When we’ve all given our best to Him, no matter how simple, remember…….

In mansions of glory and endless delight;
I’ll ever adore thee in Heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus……’tis now.

From Accounted For to you and yours......

    Merry Christmas!  PT